First batch of ROH feedback plus UFC feedback

You probably heard of it by now but just to let you know that there was a glitch on the ROH website, enabling anyone to watch the show for free.

Dave Gagnon

Thumbs Up

Hi Dave

First I had no problems with the ROH website. Logged in easily and had no problems with the video quality during the show.

Best Match: Kevin Steen vs. Davey Richards

Worst Match: Briscoes vs. Guardians of Truth

Opening match had the Briscoes against the Guardians of Truth who happen to be the Headbangers. The ropes were loose and hampered the match. Headbangers didn't look good and the crowd didn't care about them. This was the Briscoes worst match in a long time.

1 star

Eddie Edwards and Homicide had a good short match. Ropes were fixed and there was a lot of targeting at Edwards arm. Homicide won with the Cop Killa

3 stars

Adam Cole vs. Kyle O'Reilly in the Hybrid Rules Match. I hated the concept of this match cause it sounded like fake MMA and i've been cold on Adam Cole. This match was boring and the crowd hated it. Then Adam Cole got his teeth knocked out and started bleeding everywhere. The match picked up, the crowd loved it and Cole got more over by losing his teeth than pinning the world champion.

4 stars

Fit Finlay vs. Michael Elgin. Finlay just doesn't translate well to working ROH guys. This match was long and boring. Half the crowd hated it and half the crowd respected Finlay to much and started a "This is Awesome" chant. Match got better near the end with Elgin hitting his moves and continued to hint towards Elgin leaving the House of Truth.

Good match with a messed up finish. Ciampa seems to only be good when he's working with good workers.

2 3/4 stars

Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team vs. All Night Express

I thought this was a great old school tag team match. Charlie Haas may be the most over heel in wrestling today. Got a lot of heat on King and Titus went and did a Ricky Morton hot tag comeback. He got color, Haas threatened to kill him (Kinda bad for what today is) and Titus got a rollup to win the tag titles.

3 1/2 stars

Kevin Steen vs. Davey Richards

This was an insanely overbooked match and it was awesome. Felt like an old ECW main event with run ins everyone and weapons scattered all over the place. Steve Corino on commentary "shooting" was entertaining. Steen wins then does a heel promo for which everyone cheered him. He went and said "Fuck New York" and people still cheered for him. Maybe ROH should just let him be the anti authority antihero. Anyways this match was great and one of ROH's best matches.

4 1/4 stars

Josh Hayes

Hi Dave,

As I'm sure you may have been alerted to already, there must have been some kind of error on the ROH site because you could watch the show for free simply by going to their iPPV page (by clicking the big yellow banner on their website) and rather than being presented with ordering information, you simply were directed to a page with the stream running in full HD for free. Word spread pretty quickly on twitter and elsewhere, so I have a feeling ROH may have lost a lot on this show - especially given that the show was already free to a huge portion of their audience following Border Wars.

I tuned in late, and so missed the Cole vs. O'Reily match, which everyone raved about. It's hard to give the show a rating given I missed the most acclaimed match, but it was still a thumbs up event... just about.

The main event saved it, and felt like the most exciting and off the wall ROH has been in a while. Even though the people turned on him lately, I think Davey put on a great show and probably won a lot of people around. The match was really brutal, with some cringeworthy moments but the hectic nature really made it what it was. It was the best match of the show from what I saw.

The undercard was a total drag, and this was a thumbs in the middle show until the main event from what I saw. Nothing awful, but very unspectacular and dull for the most part. The tag team title match was really boring, and ANX's title win came off as flat not only due to the lame post match angle, but also the lifeless match that came before it.

The biggest downer of the show was the crowd. As well as a smattering of Benoit chants throughout the evening, which may have been expected but were still classless, they completely ruined the main event angle which would have been a very interesting development with a better crowd. ROH's angles of late have left a lot to be desired, and while a sort-of worked shoot storyline wouldn't seem to be the solution - Steen's promo on how ungrateful and fickle the ROH/NYC crowd can be was very interesting, and pretty on point too. But the crowd's love of attention and self serving ways put a downer on the angle, as they never stopped cheering while Steen buried them and their heroes. You could make the point that just proved Steen's point and was therefore the right reaction, but you could tell he desperately wanted to be cheered - even going for cheap heat and burying New York, but no luck. They just put a downer on what was the first genuinely interesting angle in a long time in ROH.

Thanks,

Barry Murphy

Thumbs UpBest Match: Steen v RichardsWorst Match: Mondo v Bennett

I went into this show pretty apprehensive, because I wasn't as excited about the storylines as I have been for previous iPPVs, and of course I was still a little nervous about the feed. I had zero technical problems, and although the first couple of matches had to compete for my attention against the end of a soccer game. However, the wrestling, pacing, and storytelling of the show totally drew me in, and I felt I got more than my money's worth. Some notes on a few of the matches:

Cole-O'Reilly was an incredible spectacle, and the only reaosn it wasn't my match of the night is that I was too worried about Cole to fully enjoy it. I hope he can get his teeth repaired effectively, because the Foley look would not suit him. That said, this was a star-making performance for him, and he may have to compete with Elgin for the next breakout spot.

Mondo-Bennett was well worked, but Mondo's promo did absolutely nothing for me. I like his bratty heel persona on ROH TV, but shouting, swearing, and threatening to have sex with Maria did not get me behind him as a face. It took a lot away from the match.

RD Evans was priceless in the TV title match as the weaselly manager afraid his plan is about to fall apart. The Ciampa-Embassy storyline is great, except for the fact that they're simultaneously doing the exact same build with Elgin and the House of Truth. I feel that ROH is in danger of having too few credible heels soon, as all their credible ones are on the verge of turning.

Great feel-good title win for ANX. The ROH tag division has had good matches recently but it's been feeling a tad repetitive, and first-time champs should freshen up even repeat matches. The Guardians of Truth should help too.

As for Steen-Richards, there was so much going on in terms of outside people and plunder that there really wasn't much wrestling going on. However, much like the old Pitbulls vs Raven/Richards match from ECW, all the interwoven storylines worked perfectly, and what would normally be overbooking was just the right booking. And when it comes to choosing a Color Commentator of the Year for 2012, I urge voters to drink the Steve Corino Kool-Aid. He was absolutely spectacular during this match.

All in all, a solid show, and I left feeling much more invested in ROH than I was at the beginning of the show, which is certainly a win.

I enjoyed the show tonight. The first half of the show went quicker than the second half but the show was still good. Cole vs O'Reilly was really good with Cole going to another level. I do think O'Reilly works better as a heel as well.Kenny King and Rhett Titus winning the tag titles was nice to see and I thought the match was good.The main event was over-booked but still enjoyable.Although Elgin vs Finlay was slow I think it was still a good match with a great finish.I had been hoping that the Guardians Of Truth would be The Flatliners from Toronto (who have done undercard matches for ROH Toronto shows) and even thought it was at first but the idea of it being the Headbangers is cool as their making a comeback is intriguing. They also looked good in this match.Dave MusgraveMarkham, Ontario

Thankfully This show worked! The Live Audience was way more into it than the Anniversary show. I give it a strong thumbs up. Best Match ADAM COLE VS. KYLE O'REILLY HYBRID RULES turned out to be a real bad ass match Worst Match MARK & JAY BRISCOE VS. GUARDIANS OF TRUTH Not a bad match but finish was weak thanks to the Ring ropes.

Overall a great show! Now looking forward to seeing it in Milwaukee!

Kyle Schroeder

Thumbs up.

Best Match. Adam Cole v Kyle O'Reiilly

Worst Match. Mike Mondo v Mike Bennett

Cracking show and absolutely zero issues with the stream. ROH delivered tonight.

Adam Cole once again proved why ROH is in safe hands, and he has a perfect foil in O'Reilly, these two delivered the MOTN and told a great story. The ANX title win was a great feel-good moment, although cut short, but they deserved the win. Crowd was great all night.

The main event was chaotic, wild and fun. Certainly different to the main events ROH put on before Steen was champ and it makes a refreshing change.

I was frustrated with ROH after the Border Wars iPPV fiasco but tonight they came through and I will continue to purchase DVDs and iPPVS, and support them because right now they do pro-wrestling better than anyone else right now.

Joe Mills, UK

Thumbs UpBest Match: Cole vs O'ReillyWorst Match: Mondo vs Bennett

After freezing and skipping through the Briscoes and half of the Homicide match this looked as good picture quality wise as any ippv I've seen.The show was long but never dragged. I don't really care about swearing but it stands out when the guys who seem weakest on the mic are the people doing it.

Vince Averill

I have perfect sound, can't complain one bit about it.

That said I missed the finish of The Briscos match and didn't get picture back till the start of Finaly vs Elgin. Then I missed the end of that match. I'm still listening to it but I'm not getting pictures. ROH is saying it is on my end but my buddy whos only similarity to me is the city he lives in is having the same issues.

I run PC he has a Mac

I run Firefox he runs whatever Mac runs(I've also tried on IE)

I get my Internet from my Cable Company he gets it from a the phone company

Jeff Burns

Thumbs up show.

Best match: Silva vs. Franklin. Pretty much the main event you expect from two guys whose title hopes ended long ago, and who are employed only for providing entertaining main events while still maintaining marginal drawing power.

Worst match: Hacran Dias vs. Yuri Alcantara. I think I speak for the rest of the world when I say: who? Jeff Hamlin

UFC FX 4

Thumbs in the middle. Shitty main cancels out the rest.

Best fight: Swanson-Pearson

KO: Swanson

Sub: N/A (only saw the top card and Lamas-Hioki)

In the top fuel tv fight, Ricardo Lamas was too athletic and versatile for Hatsu Hioki and mixed up his attack to sweep the last two rounds and take the correct 29-28 UD. Sad comment on the state of JMMA, as Lamas is a fringe contender at best in UFC and Hioki is arguably the best fighter in Japan.

Cub Swanson opened the top card with a brilliant 2ndR TKO of Ross Pearson. Swanson has expanded his arsenal to include Capoeira and lately is looking just as much the human highlight reel as Aldo and a rematch might be more than interesting.

Brain Ebersole and his annoying chest hair survived some top notch Jiu Jitsu from TJ Waldberger (again what is with the way Buffer says -berger names, his middle name is not 'Wald') to take a deserved 29-28 UD. Ebersole shows some Capoeira too but not on the same level. Seems to be the new trend. Waldberger however is still a very young guy with an already evolved JJ game and there's a lot of upside there.

Spencer Fisher somewhat surprises by outboxing Sam Stout in their rubber match, but Stout surprises also with newly found TD ability and takes a debatable but understandable (or vice versa) 30-27 UD in a good scrap.

Clay Guida stinks out the joint vs. Maynard but you're not supposed to judge a fight on entertainment value and IMO Guida did all the landing and won 4 rounds. The guy whose style is getting nullified is the one who's supposed to have to adjust what he's doing. Doing schtick and getting hit in the face doesn't score points. Stink fight which really should have been no surprise as almost all of both of their fights have stunk but the surprise was it stunk different than it should have, and I'd be happy to see Bendo (or Edgar) beat the crap out of Maynard (again).

First, I don't understand why the Brazilian TUF guys were billed by their ring names on TUF, and by their real names on this show. I found it confusing and will refer to them by their Brazilian names, which I already have them 'branded' by. Second, if they're gonna do Brazil, Buffer, Goldy and Rogan (especially Buffer and Goldy) better hit Berlitz and study Portuguese, or at least for Christ's sake WATCH THE FUCKING TUF BRAZIL SHOW AND LEARN HOW TO SAY THE NAMES. You're getting paid enough to do a little fucking homework.

Also found it interesting that Vitor was booed. I think the season exposed him as a lying, manipulative, holier-than-thou douchebag and evidently the fans in Brazil think so too. Even more interesting was that the heel heat extended to his protege Cezar Mutante, who got booed in his own home town. The Brazilian fans react strongly to everything, + or, and will start to boo even a few seconds of inactivity.

Anyway, Milton Viera (rumored to be the creator of the Anaconda Choke) and Felipe Arantes opened the FB prelims with a spirited 3 round scrap. Arantes seemed to sweep the final two rounds but the decision was a split draw with the even card being an odd 28-28, which can only be 2-1 in rounds but with the 1 being a 10-8 and there weren't any rounds that wide in this fight, and I'm the first to score wide.

Wagner Campos takes the first two rounds from Marcos Vinicius with top shelf JJ, but gets busted up in the process as Vinicius is very active and dangerous striking from his back. Campos looked to have been in a fight ending position a time or two but chose to give them up and lived to regret it, as Vinicius found his striking range at the top of the 3rd and did not let up till Campos was out on his feet and the ref stepped in. Terrific fight.

Thiago Bodao, now billed as Perpetuo which none of the Americans can come even close to pronouncing, dominates the busier but wild Macarrao now billed as Leonardo Mafra before stopping him early in the 3rd with a body kick, straight right and G&P. Bodao is a fan favorite because of his natural likability and because he survived childhood cancer. During the season the most dramatic moment was when he fought Massaranduba who was gassed and collapsing waiting for the last round to start and Bodao was screaming FOR him (not AT him) to get up. The sportsmanship among the Brazilians is hard for Americans (especially Chael, apparently) to grasp .

John Macapa comes in 5 pounds over and has to cough up 25%, and the much smaller Hugo Wolverine outspeeds and outboxes him, taking the last round on sheer will, to take a deserved 29-28 UD, in another active scrap.

Pe de Chumbo pursues a TD as if striking is dishonorable and Massaranduba continually stuffs them and batters him in the process until the ref has to step in late in the 1st. These guys seemed to be the mentors or spiritual leaders or whatever in the house.

In the midcard main, Rodrigo Damm wastes no time in getting rid of Gasparzinho, dropping him with a left hook/right hand and quickly taking back and sinking the RNC. Gaspar was the house fuckup and Rodrigo in particular didn't want to deal with the bullshit. Rodrigo was the most internationally experienced fighter in the house, including a KO over Jorge Masvidal in Japan, and was favored to win the FW but had kidney failure cutting weight (not 'an injury' like they kept saying) for the semifinal fight and had to drop out.

Dias opens the top card with an almost American-wrestler 3 round lay and pray UD over Yuri Alcantara. Effective but boring or vice versa.

Fabricio Werdum bombs out Mike Russow in short order. Russow looks closer to being in shape than he ever has but is just in too far over his head. Werdum with continuingly improved striking able to land big shots from long range with ease and ends it with an uppercut KD and Ride&P. (btw the guy on your site who described Werdum's win over Fat Roy as 'bleh' needs to either learn to watch fights, or not comment on fights he didn't watch. Werdum put a bigger beating on Roy than Junior did.) Werdum preserves his ranking in what was a no win situation for him. He should be in the upper contender mix at least equal to Mir. Needs a better manager or something.

In the TUF Brazil FW final, Rony Jason and Pepey maybe come in too emo and somewhat leave the fight in the aisle. The will was there but neither shows much of his skills. Rony is a little more disciplined and takes the UD in a disappointing fight.

In the MW final, JJ ace Serginho backs in as Daniel Serafian, who KOed him, has to pull out with an arm injury and is in the crowd sporting a surgical cast (and getting a bigger pop than either guy in the ring till the fight heats up). Vitor's protege Cezar Mutante pulls out to an early lead, taking the first round with far superior striking, and then opens up in the 2nd, battering Serginho with punches and Capoeira kicks and having him in big trouble, but chooses to play it safe and force standups rather than risk Sergio's JJ on the ground and it backfires, as Sergio, pretty much swinging wild with eyes shut, lands a hail Mary elbow on the jaw and has Cezar in trouble, not enough to win the round but more than enough to turn a rout into a fight. The pace understandably slows in the 3rd with Sergio the aggressor but Cezar the more accurate and scoring early and late KDs to seal the UD, one judge giving Sergio a round.

Rich and Wandy tear it up more time in an exciting but mostly noncompetitive scrap. Rich looking sharp is doing a paint job till Wandy drops him late in the 2nd and comes within a hair of pounding him out. That proves to be Wandy's one moment in the fight as he has a hard time pulling the trigger after that and Rich, flying totally on instruments and having no subsequent memory of the KD or much that came after it, boxes his way back into the fight and takes back over, dropping Wandy in the final second to seal a UD which somehow sees NO 10-8 rounds. Could have called EVERY round a 10-8 but the 2nd for Wandy seems like a no brainer. Rich says he wants one last run at getting the MW title back. IMO he could have stayed at MW and been the policeman all this time, beaten everybody but Anderson. Can't see him ever beating Anderson, or Jones, but tell you what: Styles Make Fights---Rich Beats Chael. Bigger, stronger, better striker, much harder hitter, hard to take down, dangerous if you do take him down. As with Anderson, the issue now is age.